Oct. 28, 2006

Complete Results

HAMILTON, N.Y. - Junior Brendan Fennell treated himself to a 21st birthday present Saturday, capturing his first Patriot League Individual Title and helping the American University men's cross country team become the first PL school to win five consecutive Patriot League Cross Country Championships. Fennell, who had finished second in each of the previous two years, ran away with the men's race, leading five AU runners in the top-eight overall. The women's team, led by the top-20 finishes of juniors Cathleen Ford and Kate Lilley, finished sixth in their race.

Pre-race talk centered on the individual race, which many believed would be a two-man race between Fennell and Colgate senior Michael Hanlon, who was running on his home course. The pair did not disappoint as they broke away from the pack before the second mile mark and ran stride for stride over the next mile. Nearing the end of mile three, Fennell took control of the race, surging ahead on a long gradual uphill and using his momentum to carry him down a short steep downhill for the 20 meter lead. The Pearl River, N.Y. native continued to press the remainder of the course as it headed back downhill toward the finish line, hitting the tape nine seconds in front of Hanlon at 25:20.8 for his first Patriot League XC Title. The win was the first Patriot League individual title of Fennell's career and earned him Patriot League Outstanding Performer of the Meet honors.

The remainder of AU's pack was close behind, in the front of the strung out field. Seniors Dan Beardslee and Awit Yohannes worked themselves through the pack and finished steps apart in fourth and fifth in 25:44 and 25:46. Joining them as an All-Patriot League First Team selection was Conor Lanz who battled to a seventh-place finish in 26:10.9. Seconds later, Carlos Jamieson crossed the line as the race's top sophomore in eighth-place in 26:18.1. Junior Brian McCabe also finished in the top-20, earning 19th-place in 26:57.7, while senior Rob Hofmann was American's seventh man in 46th in 27:59.9. The men's team tallied 25 points, 44 ahead of runner-up Navy.

"Before the race coach told everyone that you have to be tough, that times didn't matter and just to stick our noses in it up front," Fennell said. "The conditions were so sloppy that I knew everyone was feeling the same way I was. I felt comfortable with the pace and once I broke away, [Hanlon] never really came and challenged me."

"It was great to keep the tradition going under these usual circumstances," head coach Matt Centrowitz said. "We were thrown a curveball with the weather and muddy course conditions. A million different things could have gone wrong. We're happy to come out of here healthy and moving toward regionals."

Of the individual performances, Centrowitz said that he was impressed with sophomore Carlos Jamieson and his senior class. "Carlos being a younger guy doing so well, he'll be someone to watch out for in the next few years. And to see most of the seniors have their last PL's cross country race go so well and to get All-League honors was something special."

The women's team took sixth overall in their race, led by the All-League 13th place finish from Ford. The New York native clocked a time of 24:32.8 over the hilly six kilometer course. Her finish was an improvement of over 10 spots from last year's PL Championships. Fellow junior Lilley also made a huge improvement over 2005 and continued her strong 2006 campaign, joining Ford in the race's top-20, nabbing 18th in a time of 24:47.8. Sophomore Meghan Mason, who has been a model of consistency for the Eagles, had a rare off day, placing 36th overall in 25:27.8. Emerging freshmen Greta Wicklund was close behind in 44th in 25:47.4 followed by Danielle Loughrey in 50th in 26:07.7 with Mercedes Ball close on her heels in 52nd in 26:12.9. The team will look to 2007 to take advantage of its youth as its entire top seven will return.

"The women are excited to go to regionals and make the commitment to get better every year," Centrowitz noted. "Lilley made a dramatic improvement over last year and so did Cathleen. Everyone returns next year, our recruiting is going very well so I'm very excited."

The teams have two weeks off before heading to the Mid-Atlantic Regionals in Lockhaven, Pa. Nov. 11.